A Snake Is Born
by Jakoby
Summary: AU. Harry was abandoned by his mother, but his father doesn't know of his existance for the first four years of his life. Slytherin Harry, Dumbledore and Ron bashing. This is my baby so please make constructive comments and not flames! Please review!
1. Chapter 1

**July 31****st**** 1981**

Flames flickered and danced around the logs in the fireplace providing the only source of light for the dark chamber. There were shelves of books lining the walls and in the corner stood a desk with many sheets of parchment scattered across it. The only other piece of furniture in the room was a high backed ebony armchair in front of the roaring fire. A limp hand hung over one of the arms, cradling a half-drunk tumbler of firewhisky. The figure stared into the flames, lost in his thoughts of past happiness.

He did not know, or even care how long he had sat there but was startled back into the present by the 'pop' of a head appearing in the fire. Albus Dumbledore looked up at the man, who realised immediately that something was wrong, as the ever present twinkle in the old man's eye was nowhere to be seen.

"Severus, I'm afraid that I have some terrible news for you. Lily Evans was killed last night in a minor battle with several Death Eaters. James Potter and David Longbottom were also among the dead."

Albus looked sadly at the figure before him "I'm truly sorry my boy, I know you were great friends."

The Headmaster's head disappeared with the same distinct 'pop' leaving Severus to stare despairingly at the flames, tears coursing down his face as his memories consumed him.

It was over a year and a half ago and Severus' life was so very different to what it was now.

**December 3****rd**** 1980**

Severus stood in the main living room of Snape Manor and waited nervously for his wife to get home. They had only been married for just over a month and Severus still couldn't quite believe it. The 'crack' of her apparating into the hallway set his heart racing; the news he was about to impart to her could ruin his life.

"Sev?"

A call echoed throughout the house, disturbing the silence.

"In here, Lils."

She came into the room and, as always, she took Severus' breath away. Her long auburn hair shone in the firelight and her eyes gleamed like two polished emeralds. As she stepped towards him, a smile lit up her whole face.

"Hello, Mr Snape."

Severus grinned back at her "Hello, Mrs Snape."

At that, Lily threw herself into his arms.

"I missed you today" she said, sighing into his chest.

"I missed you too my darling." He held her close and briefly enjoed the felling of her pressed against him.

"Lils?"

"Mmmm?"

"Can we sit down? I have some news for you."

Lily looked up at her husbands face and a chill settled around her heart.

"My father took me to see some business associates of his. He wants me to follow in his footsteps so to speak."

Lily stared at the man she loved and who she had fought so hard to be with in horror.

"What did you say to him?"

"I did the only thing I could under the circumstances, but…."

She lurched forwards and, grabbing his arm, she pushed the sleeve up to reveal her worst nightmare. The Dark Mark stared up at her, branded onto her beloved husband's skin. She reeled backwards in disgust.

"How…? How…? How could you?!"

Utterly lost for words, she turned and fled from the room, not even giving Severus a chance to explain.

"Lily, please!!!!"

Severus shouted after her, but to no avail. Slowly, he crumbled to the floor and sat sobbing well into the night.

**July 31****st**** 1985**

Five years later, Severus sat in his new office at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He had never wanted a teaching appointment, but when Albus had offered it to him he had been unable to refuse. The old man had been like a father to him since he had left school himself and he knew that the school was in desperate need of a Potions Master. Less than a month previously, the last Potions Professor and her entire family had been murdered in a Death Eater attack after she had attempted to poison the Dark Lord.

There was a loud 'pop' from the fireplace as Albus Dumbledore's head appeared in the flames.

"Ah, Severus my boy. I see you're settling in nicely. If you have the time, I wonder if you could come up to my office? I have a small favour to ask of you." The head disappeared and Severus sighed. He loved the old man dearly but he had a very poor sense of timing, which only seemed to get worse as they years progressed. It was already July 31st and Severus only had a month to plan and arrange a years worth of classes for the seven years of students that would be arriving on September 1st. he stood reluctantly from his chair and made his way up to the Headmasters office. The gargoyle took one look at Severus and immediately stepped to one side. Severus was one of only three people, including the Headmaster himself, who were afforded the privilege of having their magical signature recognised by the Guardian.

"Severus my boy! I'm glad you could spare some time. I wonder, could you make a small trip for me? There's a young boy who is living down in Surrey with his aunt and uncle. His parents died three years ago and Minerva checks up on him every summer to see how he is getting along. Unfortunately, she in unavailable until the start of the academic year."

Severus glared at him.

"Albus, I have better things to do with my time than to run about the country looking in on other people's brats. Get someone else to do it."

"Severus I do understand but this boy is important to me. I know his parents well and I wish to keep him safe as I was unable to keep them safe."

Severus sighed in defeat.

"All right old man, you win. What is the brat's name?"

"Harry James Potter, he lives with Vernon and Petunia Dursley."

Severus stared at him in shock.

"Potter?! Not more Potter spawn……" His voice trailed off. "His aunt and uncle?"

"Ye, the Dursleys."

"Petunia Dursley was Lily's sister, you mean that this child is…."

"The child of Lily Evans and James Potter? Yes Severus, I am sorry. As far as I am aware, they did not marry…."

Severus did not stay to hear the Headmaster finish; instead he ran blindly from the office and out into the grounds. Tears forced their way out of the corners of his eyes until they were pouring down his face. He stopped running at the edge of the forest and slumped to the floor at the foot of a tree.

"How could you Lily?" He whispered, and as his words were carried away on the wind he apparated to Privet Drive.

He appeared under the shade of some trees in a park just off of his destination. He could see the house and, after a short-term invisibility spell, walked over to it. He peered through the front windows and, seeing no sign of movement he slipped round to the back of the house. There, he found a young boy of about three years kneeling by a flowerbed, pulling futilely at the masses of weeds that lay before him. Another, larger boy, sat outside the patio doors and was taunting the smaller child.

"Come on freak, you know you won't get any food if you don't do enough work!"

The boy stubbornly continued to pull the weeds up.

"They wouldn't give you anything anyway. They don't care about you, no one does. They don't even care that today's your birthday!"

Harry continued to dig and, failing to get a rise out of him, the larger boy went inside to the house. Harry stopped his work and brushed away the tears that had started to fall. Severus' heart broke to see him. No child, even one sired by James Potter, should have to suffer that kind of abuse. He removed his invisibility spell and, opening the garden gate, he walked over to Harry. The child looked up at the tall man dressed in black that towered over him with the innocence that only a child can have.

" 'lo."

Severus knelt down so that their eyes were on the same level.

"Is today your birthday, Harry?"

Harry looked at the floor mumbling.

" 'aybe."

"How old are you child?"

Harry looked thoughtful for a moment. "Four!" He said happily with a smile.

Severus smiled at him and did some quick mental arithmancy. Four years and nine months ago would be the November of 1980; one month before Lily had left him. Severus stared at the child in front of him. This child couldn't be the child of James Potter. This child was his.

A small present brought him back to the present.

"You 'k?"

Severus smiled weakly.

"Yes Harry, yes I'm ok. Now Harry," he said, thinking quickly, "are you happy here? DO you like your aunt and uncle? Are they kind to you?"

Harry looked fearfully at the house.

"Nuncle Vern'n don't like me. He said I shouldn't be 'live."

Severus stared in shock. How dare that muggle scum tell any child that they should never have been born?! That settled it for him; whatever it took, he would get Harry out of there tonight.

"Harry, I was very good friends with your mother and I know she would never have wanted you to live here. Would you like to leave the Dursleys forever and come and live with me?"

Harry looked into Severus' eyes as if searching for something and suddenly his own eyes lit up and he nodded furiously. Severus grinned at the boy and, pulling him into a hug, he whispered,

"I'll get you out of here, I promise. Now," he said, setting Harry back down, "are your aunt and uncle in the house?"

Harry nodded quickly.

"Good. Now, I'm going to go and speak to them. You need to pretend that you have never seen me before. Can you do that for me?"

Harry nodded again.

"Good boy, now sit tight. It'll be alright soon."

Severus stood up and walked to the front of the house. He transfigured his flowing robes into a smart, muggle business suit and rapped sharply on the door. After a few moments of waiting, a woman (who looked disturbingly like a horse) answered it.

"Can I help you?" she asked pleasantly, taking in his smart appearance.

"Yes, my name is Severus Smith from the Department of Child Services. We have received a number of complaints concerning a young boy that we believe to be in your care."

The woman's pleasant expression turned very quickly into a scowl.

"You'd better come in then."

She turned and walked back into the house and Severus followed her in. As she reached the door at the end of the hall she turned and said,

"If you'll just wait here for a moment, I'll just see where he is."

Without waiting for a response she walked through the door and closed it in Severus' face. Severus pressed his ear against the door and heard her voice.

"Boy! Come here! What have you been doing to the neighbours? Urgh, we should never have taken you in in the first place, we should have just left you on the streets years ago. When this man has gone, if he hasn't rid us of you then you'll go to your cupboard and you won't come out for a week. No meals, no going to the toilet, NOTHING! Worthless brat!"

Severus looked to the side and noticed a small door underneath the flight of stairs. He opened it to reveal a small cupboard with no light bulb and no obvious signs of bedding although it was clear that the boy slept in here as there were a pair of large, discoloured pyjamas that were full of holes. Suddenly, he heard a smack from the other room and a small crash. A moment later the door opened into the living room and Severus walked through. The woman was seated on a sofa, which was opposite the patio windows through to the garden. Harry was standing next to Severus having opened the door. He had a very recent cut across his forehead, which was dripping blood into his hands. Severus noted a small coffee table close to Harry that had very sharp corners.

"I'm sorry madam, but I didn't catch your name…" Severus began.

"Petunia Dursley, and this is my nephew Harry Potter."

"Ah yes, might I enquire as to why your nephew is in your care?"

"My sister left him with us when the boy was only a few months old. We have tried to take care of him of course but even at this young age he's a tearaway as I'm sure you're aware, having had complaints made about him."

Severus smiled. "Ah, Mrs Dursley, you misunderstand me. The complaints were not about the actions of your young nephew but about the care of him. people have expressed concerns for the boys welfare and as such, especially considering the recent cut on his forehead that you obviously do not intend to care for, I am taking the boy from you."

Petunia looked at Severus in shock but before she could speak he quickly said,

"_Obliviate!"_

He had considered just altering their memories but decided to just leave them with none whatsoever. Harry looked at his aunt in fascination as he waved his fingers in front of her face and gained no response.

"Quickly now Harry, where are your uncle and cousin?"

"Dudley and Nuncle Vern'n are upstairs."

"Good boy, now get everything that you wish to take with you and I'll be back in a moment."

He went quickly upstairs and after obliviating Vernon and Dudley Dursley he came back down to find Harry exactly where he had left him.

"There is nothing that you wish to take with you?"

Harry shook his head.

"Very well, come here child."

Severus took Harry into his arms and, holding him close, they apparated away.


	2. Chapter 2

A very angry Severus Snape stormed into the Headmasters office. Albus looked up in surprise at his furious potions professor.

"Why, Severus my boy, whatever is the matter?"

"Don't you **dare **'my boy' me, old man! I have been to see that child of yours. He is no longer living under that roof and he will not go back as long as I draw breath! I refuse to allow him to live with those miserable excuses of humanity!"

"Severus! You cannot separate a young boy from his family. I insist that you return him. There are protections set at that house with his aunt and uncle to prevent harm from befalling him. He needs that blood protection and as such, he cannot liver anywhere else, or even with anyone. I must say I am surprised at you Severus, I entrusted you with this task and you have let me down. It will take a lot of persuasion for his family to take him back now."

"I will do no such thing," Severus said coldly, "my son will be living with me. I refuse to take him back and I am ashamed of you that you wish me to."

"Severus, what are you talking about? Young Harry is the son of Lily Evans and James Potter."

"No Albus, Harry is **my **son. Lily and I were married although she left me on learning that I have taken the mark. But, today is his birthday, and four years and nine months ago, she was still my wife and we were happy! The boy is my son and heir and I will not give him up!"

"I…"

"He will be living with me in my quarters, and will stay with me throughout the school year." With that, Severus swiftly turned on his heel and left.

As he strode down the corridors to the dungeons, Severus began to re-evaluate his opinion of his mentor. Albus had always been there for Severus. He had offered a way out of his father's manipulations by giving him the teaching position at Hogwarts and had always been a shoulder for the young man to lean on. Severus couldn't imagine why the man had left a young boy in the care of those despicable people. Surely he must have known! As he stopped in front of the door to his quarters he made a mental note to confront Minerva about why she had never noticed anything before he stepped through to be back with his son. He stood by the door in silence watching as Harry chased his house elf, Minky, around the living room.

"Little Master…must…please…stop…and sit…be still!"

Harry giggled as he ran and Severus smiled to hear it. The boy had hardly smiled since they left the Dursley's.

"Harry?"

Harry stopped abruptly and looked up at Severus in fear.

"M' sorry!" He backed away up the wall behind him.

Severus felt guilt grip him. He had made his own son back away from him in fear. Tears crept into his eyes.

"Harry, child, no! I'm not going to punish you. Come here?"

He held out his arms and after a moment of hesitation Harry ran towards him and threw himself into Severus' arms. Severus held him close and savoured the feeling of having his son in his arms. Severus still hadn't quite come around to that fact yet. Harry was his son! His, and no-one would ever take him away. He pulled back to look at Harry properly.

"Now Harry, this is Minky, she is a house elf. If you need something then just ask her and she will get it for you. You must always be polite when you ask, as with any other person that you talk to. But she is not a toy and you must not chase her. Do you understand?"

Harry nodded furiously into Severus' chest. He smiled and, still carrying Harry, he walked over to the fireplace.

"There is somewhere that we need to go to Harry, but we will be travelling through fire. It is ok if you are scared but I will be with you the entire time. Will that be ok?"

Harry thought for a moment and then nodded. Severus took some floo powder and, throwing it into the fire, he yelled "Godric's Hollow, the home of Lily Evans." Green flames engulfed them and they were gone.

It was a smooth landing and Severus, after reassuring Harry, looked up at the house that had belonged to Lily, which now belonged to Harry. He walked up to the front door, which evidently still remembered his magical signature, as it swung open on its own. Severus took a deep breath and stepped inside. He walked to the front room, and dusting off the cobwebs and filth, set Harry down on an armchair.

"I have to look for a very important piece of paper, you can look around as much as you like but try not to break anything."

Harry nodded obediently and sat, looking around the room. Severus walked across the hall into the study. Harry was his son, he was sure of it, but that meant that there had to be a birth certificate. They could not be altered or faked as they used a drop of the newborn's blood to authenticate it. As he looked around the room sadly, thoughts of his beautiful wife flooded into his mind and slowly, tears began to form in his eyes as he remembered her.

Walking over to the bureau where Lily kept important letters and documents, he began to search. He uncovered various exam certificates from Lily's OWLs and NEWTs, which he looked over in fond remembrance. Finally, he found a sealed Ministry envelope with a distinctly official feel to it. Breaking the seal, he tipped out a sheet of parchment with grand lettering embossed across the top that read, '_Certificate of Birth'._ He scanned the page for the information vital to himself.

'Male, born: July 31st, 1980. Named: Valconis Lucien Snape. Son of Lily Evans and Severus Octavius Snape.'

Severus didn't realise how long he had been sat staring at the parchment until two green eyes peered over it at him.

"You 'k?"

The small voice brought him back to the here and now. He smiled and patting his knee, said, "Come and sit with me, I have something very important to tell you."

As Harry settled himself, Severus wondered how in Merlin's name he could go about telling him.

"What do you remember about your parents, Harry?"

Harry thought for a moment and then shrugged "Nuffink."

"Did your aunt and uncle never talk about them?"

"Nope."

Severus sighed "Well, your mother was a very beautiful lady who was very kind. But, sadly, she died three years ago when you were only one. That is why you went to live with your aunt and uncle."

"But, what bout Papa?"

"Your papa was in danger and had to hide a lot, but he is no longer in danger. He is safe again."

Harry looked up at him with hope in his eyes "Are you my papa?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, we look same, and, you're nice!"

Severus smiled, "Yes my son, I am your papa and I promise never to leave you. I will always protect you."

Harry's face shone with wonderment and joy as he launched himself into his father's arms. Severus almost broke down into tears as he held the small body close to him. Finally he set Harry onto his knee and the young child looked up at his newfound father with love shining out of his eyes. Severus smiled and fell in love with the boy all over again.

"Harry, because I was in danger when you were born and could not care for you, you were given a new name to keep you safe."

Harry thought for a moment "'m not Harry?"

"No child, you're not. Would you like to know your true name?"

Harry thought for another moment and then grinned. He nodded vigorously.

Severus nodded in understanding at his son's eagerness. The muggles would have used his name as an insult and so it made sense that he would wish to be rid of it.

"Very well, your true and proper name is Valconis Lucien Snape."

Harry frowned, trying to say his new name. Finally, he managed proudly, "'coney Lu'sen 'nape!"

Severus had to stifle a laugh at his sons attempt. Slowly he went through the sounds that made up his new name until he could say them properly.

"I know you are young, but your name is a very important part of you and I would want you to be proud of it. However, I think for convenience that you should have a shortened form. Would you prefer Val or Luc?"

"Luc." He answered instantly.

Severus smiled again. "Your first name is admittedly a little cumbersome for everyday use. Very well my little Luc."

Luc grinned as his father said his name for the first time. "Love you Papa."

"I love you too my Luc, forever and always."

Luc cuddled into his father's chest and sighed with contentment.

Severus wasn't sure how long he sat there with his son, cradling the child as if would never let him go. This was what he had always envisioned his life to include. His son fit perfectly into the crook of his arm and snuggled adorably under his chin. After a while though, it was time to go back home to Spinner's End and so Severus carefully stood up and trying not to jostle Luc too much, he apparated away.


End file.
